TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that he has an intention to transform the capital's sidewalk to become social interaction areas for its residents.

"So if we see the Cikini Raya area, the sidewalk development will not be wider, but also more active with people's activities," Anies said at Kota Kasablanka mall in South Jakarta on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

Anies explained that the government has conducted several sidewalk restoration in the capital. The program will continue because the Jakarta administration has a vision that sidewalks should not only for people to commute, but also can be used for many cultural and social activities.

"There will be room for social, cultural, economic activities without disturbing the movement of pedestrians," Anies said.

The government, Anies added, will try to support people's needs to be able to conduct activities on sidewalks. "What needed we will prepare while waiting for the development," Anies said.

The Jakarta Bina Marga Agency targeted that the sidewalk revitalization program in five areas will be completed this year. Chief of the Jakarta Bina Marga Agency Hari Nugroho said that the target is in line with the governor's target of accelerating pedestrian access construction.

In 2019, all five regions are [revitalizing]," Hari said when contacted by Tempo on Friday, August 9, 2019.

Hari mentioned that revitalization process are underway in Cikini and Kramat, Central Jakarta. In addition, revitalization are also taking place on Jalan Professor Doktor Satrio, Kuningan, and Jalan Kemang Raya. Furthermore, the revitalization also covers Jalan Otista Raya, East Jakarta; Jalan Latumenten Raya, West Jakarta; and the west part of Sunter Lake, North Jakarta.

'The progress is going according to plan. We estimated to be complete in December 2019," Hari said.

IMAM HAMDI | LANI DIANA